


Cherry Filter

by theoffbeatdrum



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Gen, M/M, this can be shippy or friendshippy whatever you want to read it as
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-17 01:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8124856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoffbeatdrum/pseuds/theoffbeatdrum
Summary: When Sehun got his crush to agree to go out with him, he did not expect said crush to flirt with other guys right in front of him during their date.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://theoffbeatdrum.livejournal.com/3356.html)
> 
> sehun is sad again i'm sorry

When Sehun got his crush to agree to go out with him, he did not expect said crush to flirt with other guys right in front of him during their date. It's disheartening and a little uncomfortable to be honest. Sehun isn't sure if he should just leave or continue to make conversation even when it's pretty obvious it's not going to work out the way he had hoped it would. Which involved building up from playing footsie under the table to being pushed against a wall for some making out before going their separate ways with the promise of another date. Sehun is pretty sure he's not even going to get a kiss on the cheek tonight.  
  
At least the food had been nice. He wonders why he even suggested to get a drink afterwards, the short walk from the restaurant to the bar had been quiet and he had only barely managed to resist taking out his phone to check for messages. Now that his date (he mentally puts air quotes around the word) went to the bathroom, Sehun has no excuse not to work his phone out of his pocket. He has one message from his roommate asking if he's going to be back tonight or not. Sehun rolls his eyes at the unreasonable amount of winky faces following the short message and shoots back a quick _yeah i'll be back_.  
  
Joonmyun's reply comes quickly, asking for a time frame because he has _no plans of walking in on you dry humping someone on the couch._  
  
Sehun smirks.  
  
_r u ever gonna let that go.._  
_back within the hour and by myself bc he's pretty much an asshole_  
  
_???_  
_are you ok_  
  
_yeah i'm fine_  
_whatever it's cool_  
_gonna wait til he's back frm bathroom and leave_  
  
Sehun looks around because he should really be back by now. He's half tempted to check what's taking so long when he sees his date at the other end of the bar, looking very much like he is having a great time talking to some guy that is definitely not his date. Maybe he ran into a friend, Sehun thinks. It can happen. Except they don't look like friends, they are definitely flirting. Sehun turns back to the bar and sinks down on one of the seats. This is ridiculous.  
  
_ok he's def an asshole i'm leaving rn_  
  
"You look uncomfortable," a voice to Sehun's left says. Sehun ignores it. He wants to finish his drink and get out of here.  
  
"Hello," the voice singsongs. Sehun rolls his eyes and mumbles under his breath.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"I said," Sehun says louder than intended as he turns towards the voice, "go away." The guy next to him isn't fazed.  
  
"Are you waiting for someone?"  
  
"No, I was on my way out, actually." Sehun downs the rest of his drink and moves to stand up. The guy puts a hand on Sehun's arm which makes Sehun stop.  
  
"Wait, wait. Let me buy you a drink?" Sehun has had a shitty night and was planning on getting drunk at home anyway, so why not get one of many drinks for free. He sits back down.  
  
"Fine. Don't expect me to be delightful, I'm all out of charm for today."  
  
"That's alright, I'm delightful enough for the both of us. I'm Baekhyun."  
  
"Sehun."  
  
"What are you drinking, Sehun?"  
  
"Whatever you want to buy me."  
  
Baekhyun gets him a drink that's the same vibrant shade of red as his hair. Sehun has no idea what it's called but it tastes like cherries. Sehun likes cherries.  
  
"So tell me, Sehun. Why are you all dressed up at a bar by yourself? Did you get stood up?"  
  
Sehun snorts.  
  
"Nope. But close."  
  
"Are you gonna make me guess?"  
  
"Yeah, I think I might."  
  
"If I guess it, do I get a prize?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Alright then," Sehun squirms in his seat a little when Baekhyun's eyes look him up and down intently. "You're definitely dressed to impress. That shirt has a nice fit and your hair is styled up with precision. I'd say maybe you had a job interview, but no one wears jeans that make your ass look this good to job interviews, so it can't be that. Definitely a date one way or another."  
  
Sehun doesn't know if he is impressed or scared. Maybe a bit of both.  
  
"Go on."  
  
"You didn't get stood up and I don't think you stood someone up either, you looked too upset for that."  
  
Definitely leaning towards scared now.  
  
Baekhyun looks a little hesitant.  
  
"You didn't get broken up with, did you?"  
  
Sehun paused. Did it count as breaking up if you weren't together in the first place? Probably not.  
  
"No?"  
  
"Oh god, did someone break up with you just now? I'm so sorry."  
  
"No, no, it's fine. I don't think that's what happened."  
  
"Oh, okay. Your face kind of," Baekhyun swirls his hand around, trying to think of a word, "crumbled when I said that."  
  
It's obviously an invitation for Sehun to tell what happened. Sehun sighs.  
  
"You see that guy over there?" Sehun juts his chin towards where his date for the evening is having the time of his life. "The one with the blue shirt. I was on a date with him."  
  
Baekhyun looks back at Sehun questioningly.  
  
"He was flirting with other guys the entire time. Asshole."  
  
Sehun ends up buying Baekhyun a drink too, as his prize. He kind of took the guessing out of the game, so he figured it's only fair. Baekhyun turns out to be entertaining, distracting him by talking animately about his job as a magazine editor and this event that's coming up. He is in the middle of relaying some embarrassing story about his first day on the job when Sehun interrupts him.  
  
"Wait, wait. Bathroom break. Be right back."  
  
Five minutes later has Sehun walking back to his seat, only to find that Baekhyun isn't there anymore. Confused, Sehun looks around. His heart sinks to his shoes when he sees Baekhyun talking to his date, obviously hitting it off, seeing how he is leaning into his space. Like he was with Sehun before. This is just fantastic. Getting walked away from twice in one night, that is just fan-fucking-tastic. Real ego booster.  
  
Sehun takes the last swig of his drink and turns around to give the two of them a last mean look. He's just in time to see Baekhyun lean close to whisper something in his ear and the guy's face falls. He looks pained. Baekhyun leans back with a smile on his face, empties his glass, swings his fist back and hits the guy in the balls. A yelp sounds over the buzz of conversation and Sehun is stunned. His eyes aren't the only ones that follow Baekhyun as he walks back towards Sehun, but they're the only ones that Baekhyun looks back into. When he is next to him again, Sehun is still stunned.  
  
"Did you just," he starts, "punch him?"  
  
Baekhyun rolls his eyes but he's smiling and he starts dragging Sehun towards the exit. Sehun doesn't protest. The night air crawls over his skin and he shrugs his jacket on once Baekhyun lets his arm go.  
  
"What just happened?"  
  
"Gave him a piece of my mind."  
  
"And of your fist."  
  
"And my fist, yes." Baekhyun's eyes twinkle. Sehun huffs out a laugh. Soon they're both doubled over in laughter and Sehun has to sit down for a moment.  
  
"I can't believe you punched him in the balls. Did you see his face? What did you tell him?" Baekhyun plops down on the sidewalk too.  
  
"Not much, really," he chuckled, "told him he was an ass for flirting with other people when he was on a date."  
  
Sehun slouches so he can put his head on Baekhyun's shoulder. He smells like cherries.  
  
"Thanks. You didn't have to."  
  
Sehun's eyes slide shut. Baekhyun is too short for this to be comfortable. Or maybe Sehun is too tall.  
  
"I know, but I did it anyway because I am amazing." He sounds softer when he continues. "I couldn't let him get away with that. You're nice. And hot. And you looked sad. You look nicer when you smile, you know?"  
  
"Do I?"  
  
"Yeah, you're cute." One of his hands pats Sehun's head softly.  
  
"Am not. I'm tired."  
  
"Then you should get home instead of falling asleep on a sidewalk." Baekhyun straightens his back and it makes Sehun's head fall from his shoulder. He stands up and holds out his hand so he can pull Sehun up. Once he's on his feet again, Sehun fumbles for his phone. He has a couple of messages, all from Joonmyun, all increasingly worried.  
  
_alright.._  
_it's been almost an hour where are you_  
_are you okay_  
_seriously where are you_  
  
Sehun is in the middle of typing out a reply when another message comes in.  
  
_if you don't reply in a few minutes i'm gonna go look for you_  
  
He deletes what he has typed and starts again.  
  
_im here im here_  
_sorry stayed back for a bit_  
_shouldve let u know_  
  
The reply comes almost immediately.  
  
_okay good_  
_i can take my shoes off again then_  
_should i stay up so we can talk about your asshole date_  
  
_no its cool_  
_baekhyun punched him i feel better now_  
  
_???_  
_who is baekhyun_  
_at least you feel better that's good_  
  
_i'll tell u later gotta go_  
  
"Sorry," he says to Baekhyun, "my roommate."  
  
"That's alright. Now that you have your phone out," Baekhyun looks at him expectantly, "want my number?" Sehun hands his phone over wordlessly. Baekhyun enters his number and makes his own phone ring.  
  
"Now I've got yours too," he says as he hands the phone back to Sehun, who snorts after seeing that Baekhyun added squiggly lines and three hearts next to his name. He deletes them and adds a cherry emoji. That's better.  
  
"Where's your car?" Baekhyun asks as he looks around. Sehun shakes his head slowly.  
  
"Subway. My asshole date was supposed to drive me home but then he was an asshole and, well." Maybe it's the alcohol and the tiredness in his veins, but Sehun tears up thinking about the turn the date had taken. He hangs his head low to hide that he's wiping at his eyes, but Baekhyun, being shorter than him, notices anyway.  
  
"Hey, hey, come on now." His voice sounds soothing and he's really been so nice to Sehun, much nicer than that asshole. When Sehun looks up again, Baekhyun's hands hover awkwardly in front of his torso, as if he wasn't sure if he should be touching Sehun. Sehun takes a deep breath and lets his lungs fill with air before letting it out in a shaky exhale.  
  
"No, no, I'm good. I'm, I'm just tired." Baekhyun doesn't look convinced. Neither is Sehun. He would really like a hug. "I know we met like an hour ago, and this is lame, but can you, can you hold me?" His voice cracks and so does Baekhyun's hesitance to touch Sehun.  
  
"Of course, Sehun. Come here." Baekhyun reaches out and Sehun steps closer. He tries not to cry and is successful for the most part. Neither of them mention that Sehun is too tall to curl into Baekhyun like he does, but it doesn't matter. One of Baekhyun's hands rubs up and down along Sehun's lower back and it's intimate enough that Sehun find himself relaxing fast.  
  
"Thanks," Sehun says as he, reluctantly, lets go of Baekhyun and steps back, "I needed that." Baekhyun's hands had slid down Sehun's arms when he stepped back and his fingers are now wrapped around his wrists.  
  
"I could see that," Baekhyun replies. There is no teasing lilt to his voice like there had been when he first approached Sehun. "Are you gonna be okay going home?"  
  
Sehun thinks about the quiet subway ride, with all its opportunities to get lost in his thoughts. Normally that's something he welcomes, a quiet moment to let his mind settle, but right now it's not something he is looking forward to. It must show on his face, because Baekhyun looks like he's made a decision. He takes one of Sehun's hands and starts tugging him down the street.  
  
"What are you doing? Where are we going?"  
  
"I won't feel good letting you go home on your own like this, so I'm gonna go with you." Sehun is part embarrassed, part grateful. Most of him is tired. After telling Baekhyun his stop, it doesn't take long before Sehun is dozing off.  
  
"Hey, sleepyhead. We're almost there."  
  
Sehun stumbles after Baekhyun, who stops walking once they're on the platform.  
  
"I have no idea where to go next, lead the way." Sehun walks out of the station on autopilot, he could walk this route with his eyes closed. He's pretty sure he has done it before. They're at the entrance of his building before Sehun realizes and the quiet familiarity of the location is disturbed by Baekhyun being there. He has been humming under his breath the whole time, or at least the part Sehun was aware of, walking just close enough to be felt even through Sehun's hazy mind. Comforting and familiar, even though they haven't known each other a day yet, not even a full evening. The easy smile Baekhyun gives him sends a swirl through Sehun's insides.  
  
"Thanks," he says, "I probably would have fallen asleep if I was alone."  
  
"You still fell asleep, but lucky for you, I was there to save you from a disaster."  
  
Sehun smiles a little.  
  
"You must be tired too."  
  
"I'm good," his last word was laced with a stiffled yawn and followed up with a sheepish smile, his eyes still twinkling.  
  
Sehun hesitates for a moment before stepping closer and wrapping his arms around Baekhyun's shoulders to pull him close.  
  
"Thanks. For keeping me company and taking me home." He leans his head on Baekhyun's in a show of affection that is more intimate than probably fitting, but Sehun doesn't care. He feels Baekhyun's arms settle on his waist and his face turn towards his neck. He can't hear what Baekhyun says but he definitely feels his lips brush against the skin on his neck as he says it. Sehun shivers, he's always been sensitive there. It doesn't go unnoticed. Baekhyun huffs a small laugh and his breath feels warm.  
  
Sehun pulls his head back and lifts his arms, intending to let Baekhyun go, but Baekhyun only tightens his arms around his waist.  
  
"You're so warm." Sehun flushes. Baekhyun had not spoken against his skin this time, but Sehun feels his lips on his neck anyway as Baekhyun presses a kiss there. It's light, almost a feathery touch, but it's definitely there. For a moment, Sehun just stands there with his arms still in the air and Baekhyun wrapped around him. He braces himself as Baekhyun suddenly slumps against him, quickly grabbing him by the shoulders to keep him upright. His eyes are wide as Baekhyun's head jerks up, his eyes lidded.  
  
"Oh, I must be more tired than I thought," he smiles sheepishly again and makes to put distance between the two of them. "I'd better go home." Sehun decides fast.  
  
"You're gonna pass out before you get to the station. No, you're coming up." He grabs one of Baekhyun's hands and turns to go inside.  
  
"I can't," Baekhyun protests halfheartedly, "I shouldn't." Sehun has already managed to get the both of them inside and into the elevator, Baekhyun walking along readily despite his verbal objection. Sehun jabs the three and Baekhyun is hanging against him before the doors are closed. They're still holding hands.  
  
Sehun drags a less reluctant Baekhyun to his door and gets them inside without much trouble. He is only a little embarrassed about the messy state of the apartment when Baekhyun makes a comment about it. Sehun replies by guiding him to his room, not wanting to scare Joonmyun in the morning with a stranger sleeping on their couch. Baekhyun hovers near the bed as Sehun throws him a shirt and sweats to sleep in and unearths a new toothbrush from Joonmyun's side of the cabinets under the sink. He finds it hard to stay awake as he waits for Baekhyun to emerge from the bathroom, so he starts changing. When he turns around and pulls a comfortably stretched shirt over his head, he sees Baekhyun standing in his doorway and stops moving. They both recover after a second and Sehun pulls his shirt all the way down while his face feels hot. He mumbles for Baekhyun to get comfortable and gestures to the bed before slipping out to brush his teeth.  
  
This is pretty weird. He had gone out that evening, excited for his date, and now there's someone else asleep on his bed.  
  
When he gets back to his room, Baekhyun is indeed asleep, curled up above the covers. Sehun rolls his eyes as he walks over and climbs in too.  
  
"Hey," he pokes Baekhyun's cheek, who stirs and looks up at him blearily. "Get under the covers."  
  
Baekhyun does what he's told and is back asleep within three seconds. Sehun feels the tiredness pull at his eyelids and falls asleep not long after.  
  
It's not until Joonmyun knocks on his door in the morning that Sehun wakes up, the smell of cherries on his senses. Baekhyun has nestled against him at some point during the night and Sehun finds his own arm thrown around Baekhyun's waist.  
  
"Are you awake?" Sehun groans a little as light streams in through the open door as Joonmyun pops his head around the corner.  
  
"Am now," he croaks. Joonmyun stops in his tracks.  
  
"There's someone in your bed."  
  
"I know." Baekhyun stirs as Sehun says it. "Go away, you'll wake him up." Sehun makes a lazy shooing motion with the hand that's not curled around Baekhyun's neck. Joonmyun slowly backs out of the room. Sehun smiles and closes his eyes again. Morning can wait.  


**Author's Note:**

> 1\. AT LEAST SEHUN IS HAPPY IN THIS ONE at the end . __ .  
> 2\. u can totally read this as friendship fic or as implied future shippy fic whatever floats ur boat  
> 3\. if sehun had known baekhyun longer he'd have been amazed that he didn't make a joke about sehun wanting to sleep with him
> 
> EDIT  
> 4\. if u wanna read baek's version of the night find my comment below or [here](https://archiveofourown.org/comments/155379189) if u don't want to scroll


End file.
